Latest Area News Headlines

WORTHINGTON – Two vehicle crashes kept Nobles County responder entities busy today. Shortly before 8:30 a.m., James Schultz, age 21, of Bigelow, rear-ended a feeder wagon on Minnesota 59, 1.3 miles north of I-90. The wagon was pulled by a tractor being driven by John Widboom, 68, of Worthington. Schultz suffered non-life threatening injuries. Both vehicles were southbound on 59 at the time of the crash. The road was dry, but fog was still thick when the crash occurred. Worthington Rescue, the Nobles County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota State Patrol responded.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

“This scam has hit taxpayers in nearly every state in the country. We want to educate...

WORTHINGTON – With the school referendum vote coming up on Tuesday, Worthington District 518 Superintendent John Landgaard is reminding residents to get out and vote between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Worthington High School Auxiliary gym. The school receives its funding through federal, state and local taxpayer support, he said, and these dollars go to support our community in a variety of ways in promoting a healthy economic environment.

The District has chosen at this time to ask voters to decide on two ballot questions in the upcoming special election. The first...

WORTHINGTON — Sanford Health Cancer Center in Worthington has received a new art installation. Every piece was made either entirely by or with the help of a cancer survivor. Survivors, family members and staff get the opportunity to create works like these with artists as part of Sanford Health Sanford Arts program based in Sioux Falls, S.D. While patients wait for radiation, receive chemotherapy infusions, or are an inpatient, they have the opportunity to work with professional artists to create personal and unique works of art.

PIPESTONE – The animal rights group Mercy for Animals released an undercover video today that the they say depicts cruelty at a Pipestone hog farm, including slamming piglets to death on the floor. The hog farm management company says practices depicted in the video — including killing piglets through “blunt force trauma" — are all within hog industry guidelines.

The video from Mercy For Animals was taken surreptitiously on behalf of the group by an employee at Rosewood Farm, which is part of the Pipestone System, a group of over 200 hog farmers who share services.

WORTHINGTON – During a special meeting Monday morning, the Worthington Council opted to not increase storm water rates, meaning the current funding will add approximately $30,000 to the capital improvement reserve fund. That reserve could be used to fund a flood mitigation plan in the city, which would have to be implemented in phases. The flood plan would not mean that all basements would be stopped from taking on water, but it would remove homes from the flood plain, changing homeowners’ need to purchase flood insurance.

WORTHINGTON – Beginning today, the Clothesline Project will be on display on the lawn of the Government Center in Worthington from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The display will be there every day this week, as a reminder of the devastation and loss that follows domestic violence. The Clothesline Project involves t-shirts turned into art by survivors of domestic violence. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Minnesota West Commons, there will be a United Against Domestic Violence Reception, with Worthington Mayor Al Oberloh as speaker. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

WORTHINGTON – State Representative Dean Urdahl, who has recently published his latest novel “Conspiracy,” will visit the Center for Active Living in Worthington at 4 p.m. Nov. 14.

“Conspiracy” follows “Uprising,” “Retribution” and “Pursuit” to compete his series about the U.S. Dakota Conflict of 1862. Urdahl's family helped settle Litchfield Township in 1856, two years before Minnesota became the 32nd state. The conflict started across the lake from Urdahl's home; his great-great-grandfather buried the conflict's first five victims.

WORTHINGTON – Members of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System board on Thursday voted down a proposal to borrow $16-million to finish the pipeline to Luverne. Of the 20 entities involved in the project, only five voted yes to the capital call loan. The board will have to continue with it’s ‘wait and see’ strategy for federal funds, according to executive director Troy Larson.

The water system was supposed to be delivering water to 20 communities in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa by 2005, but lack of promised federal funding has brought the project to a halt. Even if the...